FARMINGTON — A Franklin County court ruled that a Farmington woman accused of hurting a young child is not competent to stand trial and dismissed the charges Thursday.
Justice William Stokes ordered the commissioner of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to begin proceedings to determine if the woman should be involuntarily committed for mental health treatment.
Megan D. White, 23, faced charges of felony assault against a 5-year-old boy she was baby-sitting on Aug. 27 and a misdemeanor charge of violation of conditions of release in a related domestic violence assault case.
Farmington police conducted an investigation after police received a referral from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.
The boy was grabbed by his legs and pulled off the bed, which caused bruising on his face. He was also slapped, according to a Farmington police officer’s report.
White was indicted by a Franklin County grand jury on Jan. 22.
A Franklin County court requested that State Forensic Services conduct examinations of White to evaluate her competency to proceed in the case and whether there was a substantial probability that White could become competent in the foreseeable future.
After a hearing on the matter Wednesday and on the basis of the forensic reports and agreement with the state, the court found White was not competent to stand trial and there does not exist a substantial probability that she can be competent in the foreseeable future, according to Stokes’ order to the DHHS commissioner dated April 9.
“The court is ordering DHHS to determine if the defendant should be involuntarily committed because she is a danger to herself or others,” Assistant District Attorney Andrew Robinson said in an email Friday.
This is required under the state’s competency statute, he said.
“Essentially, if the defendant is not tried because she isn’t competent, then the Legislature wants the defendant evaluated to determine if the defendant should be allowed to return to the community without treatment,” he said. “It essentially removes the person from the criminal process because they are not competent and then tries to make sure the mental health system screens the person to see if they should be involved.”
dperry@sunmediagroup.net
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